


Every Moment Sweeter Now With You

by orphan_account



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Bullying, Homophobia, M/M, gay!harry, gayforharry!louis, uni fic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-05-06
Updated: 2013-05-21
Packaged: 2017-12-10 14:47:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 8,811
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/787244
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>chaptered larry uni!fic in which harry is gorgeous and gay and proud and so so wow and louis is beautiful and athletic and curious about many things.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

Harry Styles was tired. He was tired of walking into his dorm room every night to a greeting of “Sup faggot” from his oh so literately homophobic roommate, Steve. He was tired of having two friends, Zayn, a wannabe hipster with too many tattoos and a conversation complex, and Niall, the loudmouth footie player who’d been Harry’s best friend since primary school. He was tired of being taunted for being proud of who he is. He was gay. He did’t care who knew it. But Steve and his friends had taken it upon themselves to show him that he is in fact a waste of space. They have only smacked him around a bit but nothing to serious, so Harry lets it slide. He can put up with these asinine jocks because he never ends up too hurt. He leaned back against the tree behind and looked down at his watch. Zayn was late. As per usual. Harry pulled out the lighter he’d stolen of Zayn and watched the flame click on and off.  
………………  
Zayn Malik was late. He was supposed to meet Harry on the green fifteen minutes ago. They had to take photos for their modern age photography class which basically meant, half the class was going to take photos on instagram. It wasn’t technically Zayn’s fault he was late though, his roommate Liam had cleaned their dorm room and Zayn couldn’t find his cigarettes. That was a major issue. As he loped down the walkway and onto the green, he spotted his curly haired mate leaning against a tree and lighting a spliff. Zayn pulled up his camara to snap a picture of Harry, long curly hair shading his face, spliff hanging from his lips and lighter, raised to meet the joint, a small dancing flame curling to smoke. Harry was beautiful. No denying the twinkle in his green eyes or the obscene paleness of his skin. Zayn had always wanted to paint him. But asking your mate to sit for hours while you tried to recreate them on paper was something he’d tried with his best mate Louis. It hadn’t gone well and Zayn had wound up with blue paint in his hair.  
………  
Louis Tomlinson was tired for a different reason. Louis was the co-captain of the Rey University Lions football team. He was good at his job. Funny, quick witted, but serious and competitive, and as a goalie, Louis had complete control of his teammates on the pitch. His co-captain, Liam Payne, was a bit uptight. He was quite talented and very protective of all of the boys but Louis knew the boy just needed to let go. As a forward, Liam ran the plays given perfectly and played with an almost scientific mindset. Watching his face, Louis could practically see Liam breaking down the plays in his head before entering the pitch. Louis liked his team. He liked his co-captain. He liked all the attention from the girls. But Louis felt like something was missing. He didn’t know what it was, but he knew it was important.  
……………..  
Niall Horan was excited. That was nothing new. Anything and everything seemed to entertain the loud Irish lad. Even suicide sprints at practice were entertaining. Louis, his good mate and roommate, had this determined look on this face but Niall thought it just made him look constipated. Liam, Louis’ co-captain, was red faced like a tomato. Niall was barely breathing hard. Niall was a center defender. He was quite good but he lacked the attention span to mark a forward for more than a few minutes and he often got caught watching the play. It was always funny for Niall to watch Steve, his other center defender, sprint back to try to fix whatever damage Niall had caused. Niall loved to watch Steve suffer cause that guy was a world class tit.   
……….  
Liam Payne was lonely. He was sitting alone in Niall and Louis, his teammates, dorm room. They had gone to get booze and left him to “guard” the room but what the hell from? They had also told him to let no one in but some guy named Harry? Whoever that was… Liam looked around the room from the pair of small beds, to the couch that was more cushion than actual couch. He almost found himself wishing for the company of his indie roommate. Zayn irritated Liam but not too badly. He just used too much hairspray, took too many photos, smoked too many cigarettes, and came back to the room high as a kite half the time. Not to mention the he called Liam “stick up the ass Liam.” Liam resented that. Just because he didn’t approve of Zayn’s nasty ass habits, did not mean he had a stick up his ass. A quiet knock on the door jolted Liam from his thoughts and he rose to open the door. Standing in front of him was a tall, curly haired lad.


	2. Chapter 2

“Niall, now, come on, let me the fuck in, just… Niall!” The pounding on the door continued. “Ni-” knock, “-iall-” knock, “let-” knock, knock, knock, “me in!”

“Mate, I’m taking a piss, just get the door, will ya?” Niall called. The slow trickle that followed proved his point, and this left Louis no choice but to grumble a few half-hearted obscenities as he pulled himself off of the couch and over to the door.

“Jesus, dude, just stop fucking knock-” the sight of the familiar looking boy in front of him cut Louis off. “Uh, hey, sorry, I mean, are you ok? I mean, yeah, come in…?” Louis stepped aside to let the boy in. Well, maybe boy isn’t the best word; this kid was way too tall to be just a boy. He was all long, bony limbs and pale skin with a massive mope of silky-looking brown curls on the top of his head and sparkling emeralds for eyes. Louis assumed that his eyes were normally breathtakingly beautiful when he was calm, but the angry look burning in the boy’s eyes seemed to make him even more ethereal looking. The guy made his way to the center of the room, standing with his feet close together, hands in pockets and head ducked down. “Uh, mate?” Louis said.

When the guy looked back up, his cheeks were pink, but rather than looking like he was going to punch Louis, he just looked impassive. “I’m Harry,” he said in a low, slow voice. Louis’ breath caught in his throat. He was not expecting a voice like that. “Is Niall here?” he continued, watching Louis with scrutinizing eyes.

“Oi, mate, how goes it?” Niall yelled, hopping like a spider monkey onto Harry’s back. Harry stumbled forward, his fee caught up in each other, and the two boys tumbled to the ground, Niall straddling Harry with a giant grin on his face.

“Horan, geroff me,” Harry grumbled, shoving the smaller Irishman away. He sat sup, resting his elbows on the ground behind him to prop himself up. Niall sat cross-legged on the floor in front of him, the smile slowly draining from his normally cheery face. Louis squinted at the two of them, trying to keep up with the silent conversation the two boys had to be making. After a moment of awkward silence, Luis was left to wonder if maybe he was the only one feeling the tension in the room, so he cleared his throat softly, backing up onto the couch. He shut off the muted television, unsure if he should just leave the room or not. He began to pull out his phone when Niall said loudly, “Oi, Lou, get over ‘ere.”

Louis looked up slowly, trying to look innocent. Niall slapped the ground heartily next to him, and Louis had no choice but to join the two boys sitting on the floor. He met Harry’s calculating gaze once again. Niall hopped up, fetching three beers from the mini fridge next to the television. He handed one to each of the boys and he lowered himself back down onto the ground.

“Louis, meet Harry, the bloke in all those pictures,” Niall exclaimed with a grin, pointing at his collage of photographs behind him. After a moment of silence, Louis smiled at the curly haired boy.

“’Ello, Louis Tomlinson, superior footie star and class dumbass, pleased to meet ‘cha,” Louis said cheerily. Harry only stared back at him, a neutral expression on his face. Louis refrained from scrunching his eyebrows together in confusion. Niall sighed impatiently.

“Oi, Harold, you don’t gotta be a twat to ‘im, he’s a good guy, really. Just sorry you didn’t get a good’n,” Niall said around a mouthful of beer. A bit trailed out of his mouth, dripping down his chin. Harry scoffed in disgust before wiping it away with his shirt sleeve. Louis raised his eyebrows at the two boys’ lazy interactions with each other. Harry sighed.

“Yeah, no, yeah, sorry mate,” Harry said slowly, turning to Louis. When their eyes met, Louis forced himself not to look away. There was something so intimidating about Harry and his long body and intense gaze, and yet Louis couldn’t seem to find much negative judgment in the boy’s eyes. Perhaps Harry was just assessing him. This made Louis squirm a bit, so he downed about half his beer in one go.

Niall laughed heartily at Louis, pulling out his phone to play annoying music from the built in speakers. Louis didn’t bother telling Niall he hated rap, because Niall already knew. It was one of the first things he had shared with his new roommate. Of course, they got on swimmingly, Niall and Louis, but they both knew that they weren’t going to change just for each other. Niall would continue to eat the dorm room out of house and home, fart as he pleased, and play rap music when he was feeling down. Just like Louis would occupy their bathroom for at least thirty minutes every morning to shower and dress, and another twenty doing his hair.

“So,” Niall said, voice raised to be heard above the music. “How bad is he?” Louis assumed the question was directed at Harry, but before he could allow the taller boy to answer, Louis was launching himself at Niall and snatching the phone from his hands. Louis turned the music down considerably before changing it to a band he preferred. Niall only pouted.

“Oi, I love Pink Floyd,” Harry said quietly. He gave Louis a small smile and Louis lapped it up generously, grinning wildly back at him. Harry really was pretty when he smiled, and so Louis decided he wanted to make Harry do so more often.

“Yeah, Harry, how bad is he?” Louis asked, still unaware who ‘he’ was.

Harry looked at Louis funnily for a moment, a hand reaching up to brush an unruly curl or two from his forehead. He turned to Niall when he said, “A right dick, I’m telling you. Honestly, already took up an unnecessary amount of the room with empty pints and dirty clothes, the arse. Not to mention his jackass mates won’t seem to leave,” Harry said in a rush. Cheeks slightly pin, he blew out a large gust of air. Louis tried not to note the mint he could smell from where he was sitting.

Louis assumed Harry was speaking of his new roommate. Most first years weren’t used to sharing rooms, and they’re often totally thrown off when they meet their roommates. However, Harry’s roommate sounded a bit more insufferable than the average one. Louis remembered the year before, sharing a dorm with a silent lad named Ed. It wasn’t so bad, once he got used to the singing in the shower. At least the lad had a good voice. Louis was actually quite pleased when he found out he was going to be rooming with a newbie. They were often hesitant to get too crazy out of fear off stirring drama with their roommate. Louis had already attended Rey University for a year, and at first planned on acting totally superior so as to gain control over the room. But upon meeting Niall, he decided that was kind of a shit idea, and fell into a groove with the younger lad that surprised the both of them, he thought.

“Quite unfortunate,” Louis said. “But don’t get too worried, mate. Just act like an ever bigger dick back, that might help,” he suggested to the curly haired boy. Harry frowned slightly.

Niall kept looking at Harry. Finally, he said slowly, “He didn’t find out…?” Harry shook his head slightly, sighing with exasperation.

“Of course he did, Niall, of course he did, just my luck, eh?” Harry spat angrily. He shook his head again, his curls bouncing wildly. He looked up at Louis then, squinting slightly before turning back to Niall. “Sorry, sorry, don’t mean to snap at you, it’s just… yeah. Heard me on the phone with my Mum, he did.”

Niall’s frown deepened. “Ah, mate, I’m sorry. The world’s a shit place, yeah? Too many judgmental dickheads. I know you didn’t want it to play out this way,” Niall said in his thick Irish accent. “If it gets bad, if he doesn’t let it go, you can always come here.”

Louis wanted to interrupt. So he did. “Uh, since we’re just throwing out invitations now, care to fill me in?” he said, not impolitely. “I mean, sure man, take the couch whenever, I’m a pretty chill guy and I don’t exactly snore or anything, but like, well… why?”

Harry caught Louis gaze as he raised his beer to his bright pink lips. Louis wanted to look away, but he didn’t. After two swigs, Harry wiped his mouth on the back off his hand roughly. “You know, just your typical homophobic asshat twat roommate,” Harry said.


	3. Chapter 3

Ok, so yeah, maybe Harry hadn’t had to have been so abrasive upon meeting Niall’s roommate, but surely he didn’t deserve a lecture, from Niall, of all people! Niall didn’t lecture Harry, he just didn’t. Harry lectured Niall. That was how it went. Harry lectured Niall when he skipped a week of school straight due to massive hangovers every morning. He lectured Niall for stealing Harry’s chips, and then slapping Harry away when Harry tried to steal back. Harry even had to lecture Niall not to feed dogs at the park from his ice cream cone, especially if it had chocolate chips in it. Basically, Niall did not lecture Harry.

“Ok mate, I get it, yeah? Look, I got to go, Zayn’s got that fucking camera out again, the idiot,” he said loudly into his phone. He could hear Niall scoff on the other side, but after a moment they said their goodbyes, Harry wished Niall luck at practice, and Niall told Harry do not take nudes of yourself for your portfolio… or wait, no, totally do, mate! That’d be a right laugh, yeah? And then Harry was hanging up on his best friend and sliding up against a tree quietly, pulling out a fag and lighting it with Zayn’s lighter.

Zayn exhaled an unnecessary amount of smoke into Harry’s face before grinning cheekily behind his camera and snapping a blinding picture of Harry. Harry grunted, slapping Zayn’s wrist. “Way too early in the morning for that shit, Malik,” he said tiredly, pulling his cigarette away from his lips for long enough to drink from the cup of coffee Zayn had got for him. After doing so, he immediately spat the drink, if you could call it that, out. “Ugh, that’s real shit, Malik, come on! We met last year, remember? When we came to visit campus, we hung out for a week and every day we got coffee together. I’ve been getting you coffee for the past week. I even texted you my order this morning- how could you fail so miserably at a task as simple as-”

Zayn snapped another picture, much to Harry’s annoyance. “You done talking shit yet, mate? Cos, honestly, s’not very becoming. Just be grateful I got you anything at all,” Zayn said, turning away to pick up his own coffee and bag from the ground. Harry only grunted again before collecting his bearings, taking another long drag of his cig, and following the trail of cologne left in Zayn’s sudden wake.

 

 

“Bugger, turn that fucking thing off, faggot, ‘m studying here,” Steve growled. Harry rolled his eyes, attempting to slip his blaring phone out of his pocket. This was a bit of a struggle, considering how tight his jeans were, and Steve impatiently snapped at him again.

Harry rejected Zayn’s call. He supposed he should feel bad, but he really didn’t. He was a bit tired of Zayn’s attempts, yes, he was proud of his sexuality, but no, he was not desperate and no, he did not need Zayn of all people to set him up. He just wanted to get through this week. Classes were difficult enough.

Instead, Harry put on his headphones and got down to business. Studying was kind of necessary in university, he was beginning to discover. All too soon though, he was interrupted by shouts and yells and a noisy television, and suddenly Harry was dead angry and was tugging the headphones out of his ears and slamming his hands on his desk and telling Steve’s friends to kindly shut the fuck up.

This earned him a multitude of verbal attacks, which he swiftly ignored. Beyond resentful of the fact that Harry knew Steve’s friends were not, in fact, going to shut up, Harry agitatedly shoved his books into his bag and snatched up his wallet, phone, and hoodie, slamming the door on the way out. He stalked all the way to Niall’s dorm room, only hesitating once his knuckles were inches from the door. What if that Louis bloke was around? Harry knew his situation sucked, but could he really impose on some dude just cos his roommate was an ass? Come to think of it, did Niall even deserve that? Harry shook his head before knocking, more softly than he normally would.

The door swung open. A boy with closely cropped hair and big brown eyes smiled at him, a bit uncertainly. “Hey, Harry,” he said with false enthusiasm. “You are Harry, right? Uh, Niall told me you might be coming over later. He kind of, uhm, forced me to come over and, well, socialize, as he put it. I’m Liam, Liam Payne, nice to meet you, I guess,” he said ramblingly.

Harry raised his eyebrows, gently pushing Liam to the side and lowering himself onto the couch. He tried to smile at the seemingly skittish kid. Harry supposed he wasn’t exactly yet perfectly comfortable making himself at home in Niall’s dorm room. The room was certainly bigger than his, nicer than his, and void of Steve and his idiots, but Harry hadn’t spent too much time in it yet. Harry knew, though, that out of the two of them, he was probably much more comfortable than Liam was. The poor bloke still stood awkwardly by the door, wavering slightly as if dazed.

“So, Liam Payne, care to tell me why you’re alone in my best mates room?” Harry asked, not unkindly but instead amused. Liam cleared his throat slightly; cheeks pink, he lowered himself gingerly onto the couch, as far away from Harry as possible.

“Uh, well, like I said, Niall sort of demanded I come over, but then he and Lou, should I be calling him Lou? He and Louis decided to go buy some beer off of the room across the hall rather than going down to the store. They should be back any minute, I reckon. Anyways, you are Harry right? If not, is it bad that I kind of just let a stranger into this place? I mean, I guess I was sort in charge of watching it… I mean, I am in charge of watching it, so… You are Harry, yes?” Liam was certainly less comfortable than Harry, this was clear. This idea alone made Harry smirk.

“Yeah, yeah that’s me. I just sorta need to get away from my roommate, ya know?” Harry said, clearing his throat. At this, Liam nodded.

“Yeah, I know. My roommate Zayn…man, that guy’s hair products stink up the whole place. Give me a headache, if we’re being honest,” Liam muttered, scratching his head and smiling a bit.

Harry snorted loudly. “No. No way. You’re Stick-Up-The-Ass Liam, aren’t you? Didn’t see that one coming! Dear god, so sorry you got stuck with a twat like Zayn for the next year,” Harry said in between laughs.

Liam scowled slightly. “That patronizing git! I thought he only called me that to my face, not behind my back too! Jeez, just cos I’m not a photography-majoring, wannabe, drugged-up low life doesn’t mean I have a stick up my… butt,” Liam argued pathetically. “I mean, well… that was… harsh. He’s a good guy and all, forget I said all that, but like… wait, how do you know Zayn?”

Harry laughed again, loudly. He wasn’t really used to laughing. His laugh was far from attractive in his opinion, and it certainly didn’t help him keep up the whole ‘calm and collect’ look, did it? But in this case, Harry felt comfortable with Liam, in the way that one feels comfortable with a ten year old. He knew it was a kind of mean thought to think, but, well, Liam’s view on him didn’t quite bother Harry either way. “Mate, I’m stuck with that bastard almost in the way that you are. We were paired together for orientation and kinda just… stuck with each other when we realized we were going to be in so many classes together.”

Liam’s eyes went a bit wide at that. “You’re not, I mean,” he cleared his throat. “You’re not majoring in-”

“Photography, yes,” Harry said with an amused smirk. He watched Liam splutter, embarrassed, for a moment before saying, “Oi, chill, it’s all good, yeah? No harm, no fowl. We photography majors really are kind of gits, to be honest.”

Before Liam could respond, the door flew open and Niall strode proudly into the room, a six pack in either hand. Behind him was Louis. The boy was fit, Harry would be blind not to think so. His feathery hair settled just perfectly on his head, and his clear blue eyes shown behind his glasses. He hadn’t been wearing glasses earlier, Harry noted. Neither had he been wearing superfluously tight red Chino’s or a slightly small striped white shirt. When Louis turned to drop a wine bottle heavily onto his bunk, Harry tried to avoid checking out the other lad’s bum, he really did. Of course, though, an arse like that could not just go unnoticed.

Louis turned back around, catching Harry’s eyes immediately. Eyebrows raised, he said, “Hey, Harry.”

And then Harry was nodding at him, trying and failing desperately to suppress a burning blush. He looked down on his phone, sending Zayn a quick text of his whereabouts before looking up and smiling a bit at Niall. “I think I’m gonna need one of those pints of yours, Nialler,” he said.


	4. Chapter 4

Following Niall back down the hall with wine and beer, Louis couldn’t help but hope that Harry guy would be there. I mean he’s got a shit roommate and no one deserves to suffer through that right? Louis’ feelings for the curly haired lad were purely platonic. Right? Yes of course. Louis’ straight isn’t he? Course he is I mean- he’s had two pretty serious girlfriends…

“OI LOU.” Niall had stopped walking. Louis snapped out of his reverie and looked up at the taller boy.

“Yeah Niall?”

Niall began to laugh, voice loud and cheery. “Jesus bloody fucking Christ mate I’ve been tryin ta get yer attention for the past minute at least. The fucks got you all twisted?” Louis rolled his eyes at his friend. 

“Nothing mate. Just thinking about school work and classes and-“

“Fuck that Tommo. Haz and Leemo are comin over so get yer head up and get ready ta get pissed yeah?”. Niall offered Louis his best ‘trust me I’m an innocent leprechaun’ smile and Louis scoffed and nudged Niall forwards. He couldn’t tell you how many times that smile had gotten them into trouble, and then fortunately how many times it had gotten them out. Niall shoved their door open enthusiastically to reveal Liam sitting on the extreme opposite end of the couch from a quite comfortable looking Harry. Louis felt a weird twist in his stomach as he passed the curly haired god reclined on his couch. Woah… curly haired god? Where did that come from? The fuck is he thinking? Louis hurried across to his bed to set down the large bottle of cheap ass wine. He turned around to face the group only to catch Harry’s eyes trained on him. 

“Hey Harry” Louis managed to get out, eyebrows raised. What the fuck was going on? Why was Louis so nervous around this kid? He literally just met him. I mean as a straight man, Louis could say that Harry was indeed a very good looking young lad. However, his newly discovered not-so-straight side was very keen on the idea of straddling this boy and kissing him until they were both breathless. Blinking in shock at his own thoughts, Louis blushed, realizing he was still staring at the boy. Harry quickly looked away and pulled out his phone again. Louis couldn’t help but watch the way the curly haired kids hands swallowed up the phone. Jesus Christ those fingers. Long and thin, those were musicians fingers. Louis found himself wondering about how those fingers would feel making their way up and down his cock-

Harry’s voice saved Louis from his own mind, “I think I’m gonna need one of those pints of yours, Nialler.” Harry looked up from his phone and again his eyes met Louis’. This time Louis was the one to look away quickly, trying to spare himself from his own newfound fantasies. 

“Cheers mate,” Niall smiled, passing Harry a can. ”Lou? Lee?”

Liam looked hesitantly at the can in the Irishman’s hand. ”Oh come on Leelee, loosen up man,” Louis said accepting the can extended in his direction and offering Liam a friendly smile. Liam accepted the can and passed it warily from hand to hand. He was never much of a drinker, too bent on sports and education. Louis liked to think he was slowly corrupting Liam. Louis looked back to Harry, opening his own can and raising it to his sinfully pink lips. Louis closed his eyes and imagined those soft lips stretched around his cock… Louis let out a moan then snapped his mouth shut as every pair of eyes locked on his face. Liam looked worried, Niall was smirking and Harry raised his lips in a crooked half smile and turned his attention to Niall.

“Eh Irish. Can my mate Zayn come over seeing as his roommate left him all alone in his dorm room?” Harry turned his green eyes to Liam’s guilty expression and smirked. Oh, Harry’s mate must be the art major pot head who was always covered in paint and reeking of smoke. Liam may have complained a couple of times….

“Course mate the more the merrier,” Niall said slurring ever so slightly as he had already downed two cans of the cheap lager and was working on his third. Niall could out drink the best of them 

“Great thanks man.”. Harry turned back to his phone and quickly tapped out a message. Louis again, watched his fingers. Louis’ not gay. But he’s not sure if he’s straight anymore either.


	5. Chapter 5

Alright, so this should be made clear, Harry was no fool. He was not someone who assumed that anyone he fancied was gay, and he certainly didn’t believe in turning someone gay, either. He only believed in himself enough to fall in love with someone who loved out of love, despite gender. Harry Styles was not a fool.

But that doesn’t mean he’s a joy when a fit male specimen is joining in on banter about females and telling tales of his conquests.

Harry tuned out till the conversation is over, ignoring Louis. Harry drank.

 

 

The hangover is fucking hell, but he spent a bit of the later hours of the morning fetching breakfast with an equally disgruntled Louis and Zayn. It was a greasy, hot, unhealthy breakfast, a breakfast of champions, as Louis calls it. Harry learned that Louis remembers little to nothing of last night. This, of course, means that he has forgotten telling Harry that he had nice lips. Harry, you see, remembered everything. And apparently, so did Zayn.

He spent the next few hours skipping classes and dancing about his apartment, trying desperately not to think about Louis. He busied himself instead with cleaning. When Steve arrived after his afternoon classes, he was in a dead bad mood, and Harry went and grabbed dinner by himself. He fell asleep in his own room that night, sober and lonely.

 

 

Harry wasn’t sure how long it’d been since he hadn’t come back to his dorm to face Steve and his crew. He wass sick of it, really, really sick of it. He ignored them best he could until a particularly cruel one, Dave or Dan or something shoved him into the door. Harry did not react on the outside, but the hate inside of him was beginning to grow. Yeah, sure, Harry Styles was gay. There was no denying that. But Harry Styles could kick ass, and he would. He doesn’t, though. Harry studied, and talked to Zayn and to Niall and sometimes even to Louis, and Harry went to bed tired and sufficiently lonely.

When he got a phone call from Niall one morning, informing him of a party later that night, he’s not sure he can say no. You see, Harry was tired, and yes, he’d been tired for weeks, but skipping out on Niall again, after so many times, might be a bit unfair. And so Harry said he’ll go.

The rest of that day is spent lazily doing homework and painstakingly taking notes. When the name Louis shows up on the margin of one of his notebooks, though, he decided it was time he quits working for the day. Harry changed into his trusty Ramones t-shirt, a typical pair of skinny jeans, and white converse before texting Niall.

When Harry reached their door, he freezes. He wondered if Louis’ there, maybe even getting ready to go to the party. He knocked.

Liam, to Harry’s surprise, opened the door. “Mate,” he slurred happily, leaning forward to give Harry a hug. It was only slightly awkward, a massive feat for Harry. He patted Liam’s back patiently before moving him aside and going over to clap Zayn on the back.

“Oi, what the fuck you doing here?” Zayn joked.

Harry rolled his eyes. “I told you I was going to be late, no need to get pissy with me.” He plopped down on the couch before hollering, “Oi, Ireland, the fuck are you?”

Niall came tumbling out of the bathroom, a slight frown on his face. “Just getting Lou something for his head,” he said. It was then that Harry released Louis actually was in the room. He was silent, lying on top of his bunk head in his hands. Harry’s heart lurched for a moment, and he swallowed. “Louis?”

Harry got up, taking the pills and water bottle from Niall. Slowly, he bent to a crouch next to Louis, squinting at him. “Louis, you wanna take these for your head now, ok?” he coaxed quietly.

When Louis looked up at Harry, he had to suppress a gasp. Louis was beautiful, even when ill. His eyes were still a wide and sparkling blue, and his pink lips were pressed together tightly, almost turning white. “M’head hurts,” Louis stated quietly.

“Yeah, babe, so I hear, but taking these’ll help.” Harry gently placed the pills into Louis’ palm, handing him the water after the pills were in his mouth. Louis swallowed the water gratefully, wincing at the pain his coughing caused him. Harry winced at Louis’ wince and then they were just staring at each other and then someone, Zayn?, was clearing his throat, and then the spell was broken and Louis was closing his eyes again and laying back against his pillows. Harry swallowed at how stunning Louis looked lying like that, hair splayed across the pillow, face tightening and untightening as waves of pain came and went. Despite his long, curling eyelashes and sharp cheekbones, though, he stilled managed to look almost… rugged with his stubble and perfectly sculpted jaw and biceps spasming as he clenched and unclenched.

Harry turned away from Louis then. “Anyone know what brought this on? Should we leave him like this?”

Zayn smiled and clapped Liam on the back. “Dunno about you guys, but I say the kid’s gonna be alright, and I’d really like to get laid tonight, so I will be leaving with or without you. Actually, not without Liam, though, gotta teach this ol’ bloke how to party hard,” Zayn said, a bit too loudly for Harry’s liking, sticking his tongue out dumbly.

Niall rolled his eyes at Zayn before turning to Harry. “Don’t worry about him mate, the best thing for him is to be lef’ alone right now, dontcha think? Peace ‘n quiet, I say.” Niall’s voice was a bit more reassuring and Harry nodded. “Anyways,” Niall continued. “He got our phone numbers. If he wakes up and needs us, I’ll come back in a cab and tend to him, yeah?”

Harry wanted to offer to come back instead, but he didn’t. Instead he

realized that he was probably going to go to this party whether he liked it or not, so he might as well like it. At least, alcohol will be around and steadily available to him. Maybe he’d even hook up with a guy who wanted him. He turned back to Louis once more, brushing his fingertips softly along Louis’ cheek, watching him sleep for a moment. Drawing in a deep breath, Harry turned around and announced, “Mates, let’s go get shit-faced.”


	6. Chapter 6

Louis was dying. Well, not really but his head hurts he’s allowed to be a bit dramatic. He lay on his back in his bed, just wishing Niall would hurry up with whatever painkillers they had stuffed in their measly medicine cabinet. Besides some paracetamol for hangovers and some Claritin, the students didn’t tend to need medicine. Some various cold medicines and random pills occupied the cabinet. Louis just lay there, sweaty and cold, waiting. He heard the door open, and then voices. He recognized Zayn’s smooth, silky voice and Liam’s slightly deeper, rougher one. From the bathroom, Niall called a “SHUSH. LOU’S SICK.” Louis winced at his roommates voice, piercing through his skull. He coughed, practically hacking up a lung in the process. He felt a hand ruffle his hair and feel his forehead, no doubt looking for a temperature. He could smell cigarette smoke and knew it was Zayn. his hands were warm and comforting. He couldn’t do anything though. He just lay there.

Niall was still puttering around the cabinet, occasionally asking Liam and Zayn whether or not a certain drug was actually a painkiller. Louis dipped in and out of consciousness as the pain seemed to worsen. He could smell the booze his friends had already dipped into, turning his stomach and making his head spin. Louis felt as if a knife were being pushed behind his eyes. The lights of the room blinding even with his eyes closed. A knock on the door seemed to split his skull and he lay still, hoping the pain would just go away. Louis managed to drown out the voices until one started yelling. He recognized the deep, rough tone as Harry instantly. He didn’t know why, but that was comforting. Harry was here. Harry. Pretty Harry with the curly hair and green eyes and pale skin and pink lips. Next thing he knew he was hearing his own name, close and quiet, and he opened his eyes to Harry’s. “‘M head hurts,” Louis heard himself moan, pitiful even to his own ears.

“Yeah, babe, so I hear,” Harry murmured, brushing Louis’ damp fringe of his forehead. ”But taking these’ll help.” Pulling himself up to a seated position, Louis gratefully accepted the pills and water and swallowed them down. This brought on another fit of coughing and hacking, this time though, a comforting hand rubbed his back. Upon regaining his breathe, Louis looked up to meet Harry’s eyes. Harry just stared sympathetically at him, green eyes soft and caring until the sharp sound of someone clearing their throat broke the silence. Louis slowly lay back down on his pillows and tuned them all out. His eyelids were heavy, sleep and sickness weighing them down, but he could faintly hear voices. The words “left alone” and “peace and quiet” found their way to Louis ears and he wanted to protest. Please don’t leave him like this. Don’t leave him alone. He just needs someone to be there. But he doesn’t. He feels a gentle brushing of what feels like fingers graze over his cheek, sending light shivers down his spine and that’s the final piece to send Louis into sleeps welcoming arms.


	7. Chapter 7

Harry slid easily through the crowd, making his way to the fridge in the tiny kitchen. He grabbed the first beer he laid eyes on, chugging it indelicately. He’d finished with the body shots for now. He wasn’t in the mood to stick his tongue in any more chicks’ belly buttons, or in the dip of some random bloke’s collarbones. He froze, however, when thin arms wrapped around his neck and a warm body pressed against his.

“Hi,” the girl whispered huskily. From an unbiased standpoint, Harry could note that the girl was definitely very pretty. Her long chocolate brown hair was pulled back, and her minimal makeup made her face glow. “I’m Eleanor.”

Immediately, Harry recognized the name. It was the girl Louis had been flirty with. /Louis./ Shit. Harry’s mind traveled back to the sick boy once again before glancing back down at the girl in front of him. “Yeah, I know,” he said blandly. “’M Harry.”

Eleanor giggled. “I know that, silly. Lou talks about you sometimes when we’re studying… I mean, he talks about all you boys, like that one with the perfect quiff or something? And the one Louis thinks looks like a puppy? And then there’s Niall, everyone knows Niall, he’s running the keg stand now as we speak.” Eleanor giggled again, covering her mouth with her hand. “But Louis seems quite keen on you, says you’re… nice.” She grinned.

Harry’s eyebrows knitted together. Was she being sarcastic, teasing him? Of course, it couldn’t be that obvious Harry was pining after the boy. He wasn’t even sure he /was/ pining after Louis. He was just attracted to him. And of course, was actually pretty good mates with him. They got on well. Surely Harry wasn’t sending out a desperate vibe, was he? Harry cleared his throat. “Yeah, uh… it’s cool you’re friends with him, I guess,” he said, shifting away from the girl. Eleanor reeked of alcohol and it wasn;t exactly becoming.

“He’s so /prettyyyy/, isn’t he, Haz? That’s what Lou calls you, Haz… or Hazzzza. Funny name, innit? Hazzzza. He’s so…” Suddenly, Eleanor flung herself back onto Harry, kissing every inch of his neck. Shocked, Harry yanked the girl off himself none too delicately.

“The hell?” Harry muttered.

Eleanor only giggled. “So it’s true, yeah? Ya like boyzzzz?” she slurred. Harry’s cheeks flamed with frustration, pushing past Eleanor easily and grabbing another drink from the fridge as he disappeared down a hall.

He didn’t get very far, however, until he felt something ram into his back. Momentarily surprise, he whirled around, stumbling slightly under the weight of his alcohol-soaked brain. “… the hell?” he said, again. It was dark in the hallway, but that didn’t stop him from seeing five inches in front of his face, where Steve was staring back at him. “Steve, what the hell?” Harry snapped.

That’s when the first punch came, sending bright white sparks across his vision. Harry reeled backwards, hand flying up to his cheek. Before he could even respond, another punch blasted into his gut. Harry sputtered, backing away while bent over. There were more of them now. Steve’s posy had him surrounded.

“Fag,” someone shouted.

“Homo,” someone else said.

Harry spun, punching the latter to speak straight in the jaw. Before he could do any more damage, however, Steve was upon him, shouting out slurred words and punching him in the chest.

A rough bang to the backside of the head had Harry dizzy enough to collapse. The pain was excruciating, unlike anything he had ever before experienced. As he fell to the ground, he snatched at a random shirt, pulling a guy on top of him and punching blindly. Harry, though barely able to see and hardly able to breathe, was furious. And he was not going down without a fight. He stumbled back up, kicking out at the guy he’d just pummeled.

Steve left out an angry roar as he and his friends ascended upon Harry again. Harry was most definitely outnumbered, and all too quickly his fighting became useless. Too quickly, he was losing energy, and suddenly he was back on the ground again and there were sneakers buried in his back and nails raking down his arms and fists connecting with his face.

And then, just before losing consciousness, Harry heard a ragged voice let out, “Alright, mates, on it, fuck, come on, let’s go, shit, leave, go, alright? Fuck him, leave him, he’s not gonna die now, is he? Faggot deserves to rot, yeah? Come on.”

I took Niall six minutes of shaking him to get Harry’s eyes to flicker.


	8. Chapter 8

Louis woke up to a pounding headache, amplified by the frantic banging of someone’s fist on the door. 

“GODDAMN LOU I KNOW YER SICK BUT MATE OPEN THA DOOR NOW HE NEEDS HELP” Niall’s familiar Irish brogue was shouting and Louis did his best to scramble quickly to the door, thankful he was less of a zombie than he was when his mates left. He opened it up and almost wretched. Niall was doing his best to support a thoroughly bloodied and beaten Harry, who didn’t look like he was /alive/ to be honest. Louis stomach turned as he helped Niall carry the fallen angel (Jesus fuck what was it about this kid that made him crazy???) into the dorm room. Niall helped Louis place him down on Louis’ bed before dashing off to look for pain relievers of any kind. 

“What the fuck happened to him?” Louis called to Niall, pushing Harry’s sweaty, dirty curls off his bloody forehead, ” He looks like he went through a blender.”

Niall reappeared with a damp washcloth, which he handed to Louis, and various pill bottles. ”Steve, the complete fuckin’ wankin’ shit headed tosser son of a bitch, an’ his lowlife disgusting mates, cornered him at the party and beat tha shit outta him an’ left him there on the lawn.” Louis growled in anger as he carefully cleaned Harry’s bloody face with the washcloth. So much blood. Louis couldn’t help but feel extremely nervous to see how the rest of Harry’s body had faired the beating. ”Dunno how long he’d been there before I found him but I saw Steve an’ them hightail it outta there so I went ta have a look at what they were runnin’ from an’ I saw him-” Niall’s voice choked off into a dry sob and Louis reached out to rub his friends arm. 

“C’mon Nialler,” Louis said in an attempt at a brave voice, “Let’s see how bad yeah? We need to know now if we can’t handle it. It’s not gonna help him to lie here in his own blood if he needs a hospital.” Niall nodded numbly and helped Louis gently pull off Harry’s t-shirt. Louis bit his lip and furrowed his brow in concern while Niall gagged at the sight. Harry’s chest was purple. Large hand sized and foot sized bruises covered his long torso, made more dramatic by his pale skin. The two boys carefully removed his trousers and Louis gasped. His long legs were bloody and swollen in some places. Seeing so much of the beautiful boys skin was definitely flustering Louis but concern for the boy’s health was outweighing his attraction. (Cause lets face it. Louis was attracted to this kid. HE’S STRAIGHT HE PROMISES.) It’s probably the migraine talking…

Niall sniffled. ”I got him to wake up once. But it was only for a minute ta tell me who did it before he was out again.” 

“Let’s try again then mate yeah?”. Niall nodded and the two boys each carefully began to stir the boy. ”Harold?” Niall gently rubbed Harry’s bruise free shoulder, “Hazza please wake up ya twat. ’M really worried mate please wake up.”

Louis gently cleaned the blood off Harry’s arms (were those nail marks???) and sang quietly under his breath.

“But I’m not gonna take it back

I’m not gonna say I don’t mean that

You’re the target that I’m aiming at

And I’m not singing on my own”

Harry began to stir. He came to with a pained moan as his body naturally tried to shift in his arousal. His green eyes were blurred and unfocused and due to the swelling he could hardly open them. They found Niall’s worried face and managed a weak smile. The green orbs finally came to rest on Louis’ baby blues. 

“My song is love” he rasped, his usual smirk somehow finding its way on to his lips. Harry looked at Louis. Louis looked back.

“How ya feelin’ Hazhead?”. Niall asked, ruining any semblance of a moment.

“Like a bunch of asshats just beat the shit out of me. How about you?”

Niall grinned. ”Like I just dragged my mate, who had the shit beaten out of him by a bunch of asshats, across campus and he got blood all over my new Derby jersey.” Harry smiled, reopening the cut on his lip but he barely seemed to notice. 

“And how are you Lou? I left here and you appeared to be dying. Oh how the roles have reversed.” He smiled cynically but not hatefully at Louis. 

“You took care of me. Now I get to return the favor. Can’t say I’m glad it happened but I didn’t get to thank you for earlier.” Louis could feel himself babbling and tried to laugh off his own awkwardness. Harry didn’t seem to mind. 

“Alright if doctor Niall and nurse Louis don’t mind, I’d really like to go back to sleep? I won’t die I promise it’s just everything hurts and I’d like to be unconscious for a while if that’s all right”. Harry was nothing if not polite. ”Course mate” Niall said passing him a blanket.

“Wait,” Louis said reaching towards the sheets where the long forgotten pain relievers lay. ”Take a couple. You’ll sleep better and wake easier.” 

The curly haired boy smiled at him and accepted the pills and the water bottle Niall had procured. Louis gulped when the boy swallowed. 

Louis and Niall both stood from either side of Harry and made their way to the tv.

“Wait-” Harry’s voice sounded terrified.

“What’s wrong love?” Louis asked concerned. He quickly returned to the boy’s side.

“Promise you won’t leave me alone?” Louis blanched. It was no longer the self assured confident teenager he’d known so far but a young boy, physically beaten and terrified of the past events. ”I wish I’d never left you Lou,” Harry finished. ”I’m sorry about that. Karmas a bitch right?”

Louis reached out and took Harry’s hand. “First of all I’m not mad you left. At all. It’s not karma that’s done this it’s that arsehole Steve. Second, I’d never leave you Haz. So yes I promise I will always be here. Always.” Harry smiled, no he was fucking beaming, like he was /glowing/, at Louis and Louis gave his hand a squeeze.

“As cute as that was, Harry you should really sleep. I promise ya Louis will be right here, either watchin’ Skins reruns with me or no doubt, hoverin’ protectively over you. So get some rest Haz, we can talk tomorrow yeah?” Harry nodded and Louis carefully placed his hand (shit even his knuckles were bruised) on the sheet and impulsively leaned forward and kissed his forehead. Harry smiled at him and Louis was definitely sure he wasn’t 100% straight anymore.


	9. Chapter 9

They were sat at a lonely bench behind an unusually calm froyo place. Harry wasn’t really sure when it had happened, but somehow the boys had arranged themselves so their ankles tangled together and their fingertips were only inches apart. Neither Louis nor Harry said anything, and Harry filled the time but scooping up a bit of coconut yogurt from Louis’ cup, stealing a strawberry along with it. Louis smiled affectionately at him, watching as Harry chewed slowly.

Harry raised his eyebrows at the older boy. “What? ‘M trying to avoid a brainfreeze.”

Louis subconsciously reached out, brushing his fingertips against Harry’s. “Good. Protect that ickle cranium of yours. It’s been through a hell of a lot. Gave me a right scare, babe.”

Harry shook his head. “No, don’t worry. ‘M feeling better, I promise.” He dug his spoon back into the yogurt right next to Louis’. Harry snatched at Louis’ fingers, tugging them slightly. Their fingers intertwined and Harry was trying so hard not to smile like a little girl but he was certain he was failing quite miserably. “Honest. How are you, Lou? I’ve been worried, you know.”

Louis didn’t stop his grin. “Feeling much better. I think I’ve been sleeping better lately,” he said cheekily. Harry blushed. He’d decided to go straight to the dorm advisor, and the elder has immediately agreed to assign Harry a new room. However, until the current student moved out, Harry was told to bunk with a friend. Of course, he’d chosen to bunk at Niall’s. And without really realizing it, he’d gone from sleeping on the couch to sleeping wrapped up in Louis’ arms. Harry supposed it had all started when he’d had a bit of a nightmare, quite embarrassing, and Louis had invited Harry to bunk with him.

“Maybe I’m just your lucky charm then, innit?” Harry said, smiling. “I haven’t slept so soundly in weeks, mind you. You may be my charm, too.”

Louis grinned. “‘M definitely yours,” he said. And then Harry was giggling and Louis was leaning across the table and Harry was closing his eyes just as he felt Louis’ forehead brush up against his own. “Open your eyes, goof,” Louis whispered.

Harry did as told, chuckling slightly. “You look like a cyclops like this.”

“Right, but I’m your cyclops.”

Harry smiled, real and true. “And I guess that make me your goof.”

Louis giggled, pressing his forehead hard against Harry’s before pulling back. “Indeed,” he said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> by haz


	10. Chapter 10

For the rest of the year, Louis and Harry were attached at the hip. They sort of melted from super affectionate friends to soulmates without much hassle. 

Louis couldn’t really deny his sexuality anymore. He wasn’t really attracted to anyone anymore, aside from Harry. Harry was his own class of person, literally walking perfection. And bonus, he could give one hell of a blowjob. 

Louis often wondered how the hell he functioned before this without the curly haired lad. Harry was always there, biting his lip while he concentrated, brow furrowed when he was upset, or dimples clear and deep when he was beaming at Louis. 

It had taken a while for all his injuries to heal. Some of the cuts leaving faint scars behind but Harry always said he would never regret that night. That night was the first time he and Lou had connected, even if Niall had been a huge cockblock, Harry was about to pass out from pain, and Louis was still a bit delirious. 

But now, curled up in Louis’ bed watching Merlin reruns, they fit. Just like puzzle pieces. They were meant to be together. They were LouisandHarry, regarded as a single entity by all their friends because they completed each other. They weren’t whole without the other, but luckily, they never had to be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> by boo

**Author's Note:**

> prologue written by boo, chap1 and and 2 by haz, and then alternation from then on (3 is boo, 4 is haz, etc)


End file.
